The Sugar Research Institute of Fiji now has a full complement of board members.
Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama has reappointed Professor Rajesh Chandra as the chair.
Other new appointments include two soil scientists and the recently appointed chief executive for the Sugar Cane Growers Fund.
Permanent Secretary in the Prime Minister’s Office, Yogesh Karan says the priority for the board will be to accelerate research and development to increasing the yields of Fijian Sugar.
“Professor Ravindra Naidu, his a Soil Scientist. He works for an Australian University and he replaces Dr. Shanmugha Sundram. The other appointment is the new CEO for the Sugar Fund and its Raj Sharma so he’ll be taking up his appointment effective today, he’s been appointed. Mr. Raj Sharma has been appointed the CEO for the Sugar Cane Growers Fund recently and I wish him well and am very happy that he’s agreed to serve on the Sugar Research Institute and the other appointment is Dr. Sanjay Anand.”
Karan says that research will also be pivotal in the area of Tissue Culture which has contributed to high yields of sugar in other countries.
He says Fiji currently has between a third to a quarter in sugar yields compared to the biggest sugar exporters such as Brazil, Australia and India.
